Master - A bunch of paradoxes

A young face with timeless wisdom
Sometimes a child, sometimes a mother
Sometimes a friend, sometimes a father
And sometimes indeed a Zen Master

He puts us into utter insecurities
But immediately He assures us He's there
Utterly relaxed yet what a cutting gaze
He's ruthless out of pure compassion

When the Zen Master raises His stick
Just peep into His eyes and see the oozing love
Every word is a sword to cut the tumor
A sword filled with love and grace

He is fullness personified
He is emptiness personified
He is established in the present
He is established in eternity

He's a bunch of paradoxes
Cannot comprehend using logic
For He is beyond all of that
He is beyond the beyond!

In deepest gratitude to my Master...

An Instrument in the hands of the divine!

Yesterday, during a conversation, the word "instrumental" was casually used. Suddenly, a click happened to me and I thought "instrumental" is such a beautiful word. If we really contemplate on it, it has the whole essence of Karma Yoga in it - doing all the work we need to do in life, but with no ego of 'doership'; when this happens, we just become an instrument in the hands of the divine. The divine energy flows through us, guiding us at every step. There is no "I did this", "I did that.." simply because we are just a dummy instrument that He uses.

I remembered Swamiji's discourse on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3. Swamiji beautifully shared "Solid bamboo is used for carrying the dead... but if the bamboo is hollow, then it can even be used as a flute in the hands of Krishna! Our whole life then becomes a divine song that Krishna plays using the flute" How beautiful I thought. If only we allow Krishna to pick us up in His hands! If we constantly remind ourselves that we are hollow, we are pure emptiness, we are nobody, then indeed we allow that emptiness to happen inside us.

This is easier said than done because the notion that we are running our life has become too deep in us. As Swamiji says, although we think that things happen because of us, it is never the case. Because the truth is that things happen inspite of us! The reason why many of us suffer from shoulder pain after a day's work at office is simply this - we have taken the whole load of our life on us. It has become a strong conditioning that it is our hard work in life that is making us survive. (Enjoy a video below where Swamiji talks about the myth of hardwork!)

Many times, this is the case even when it comes to volunteering for the mission. In my own experience, I can see so much of that "burden" dropping from me as I become aware of who is bearing the weight. Swamiji always says the mission can mould us and that is really so true. He says if you all can put aside half an hour a day, not more, to just do any work without expecting ANY form of return, then we are indeed working towards our inner growth. We are indeed becoming instruments in the hands of the divine for that half an hour. Normally, there is a constant subtle current of "who will notice my work?" or "what will I get out of this?". For that half an hour, let us consciously park that thought aside and involve our whole being in doing something without any expectation.

If we slowly expand that half an hour into our whole day, then we stop being driven by fear or greed. We start to express a new dimension within us which we are never used to. It's a space where there is only fullfillment and hence no expectations. Our whole day then just becomes a beautiful expression of fulfillment.

Back to the cozy rut

Last week I happened to bump into one of my ex-colleagues who had previously attended our Life Bliss Program (LBP), but who had been out of touch since then. When I asked him how things were going, he expressed how stressful work has been. He went on to say how he has been so busy with work and family that he has had no time to meditate or keep in touch with our group, although he has been meaning to do so.

Then I recollected that during his LBP, he had been one of the most inspired. I remembered clearly his remarks to the acharya "Oh whatever you are saying resonates so much with me. Thank you so much. I suddenly see that there is more to life than what I had been living! Tell me how do I progress on this path" etc..

Not just with this colleague, but this is the case with many. Just soon after the program, they see a new dimension opening up within themselves. Suddenly they feel they have solutions with them for ALL problems in life. Suddenly they see a new flood of energy happening inside and they resolve to apply all that was taught during the program to their lives. But somehow, after a few days, they are back into the rut, back into the same old stressful life, the same old tensions, the same old ratrace, the same old lifestyle.

Why?

When we attend a powerful lifechanging program like LBP, various "clicks" are communicated. The feeling of "Yes, how true!" or "My God! So much that I was unaware of, now it's clear..." starts to work inside the system. This is what our Master calls as Initiation. Now, once we are initiated, once we have the sparks of clicks ignited inside us, we really do not need to do anything else. We just need to ALLOW those sparks to become into a flame, then into a fire till it burns away all that needs to be burnt inside. We have to only allow and nothing else. We just have to cooperate with the clicks, the rest will happen on its own. This is what Swamiji calls as "tapas" or penance.

Invariably, after programs like LBP the realization that there is something beyond happens to everyone. The divine energy makes Her way inside every participant through the various openings created through meditations or the powerful messages. Almost everyone realizes that the life they are leading is a fake one. But... we choose to go back and hold on to that artificial life of ours, inspite of knowing that that is not reality. Once we return to our routine life, we start to gradually feel that the problems, the stresses are more real than any spirituality. This happens when we descend to lower planes of energy, settle into our cozy comfort zones.. and choose not to apply the clicks. We literally stop the clicks from working on us by not remembering to apply them. If we really muster courage and decide that we will truly experiment with the clicks and allow them to work, then certainly nothing can stop us from going towards the Truth. The problem is we love our fake life. We are only constantly escaping from the Truth. That is why we put spirituality in a cozy compartment and choose not to look at it.

Let us not comparmentalize spirituality and our life and give lower/higher priority to either. Let us realize that spirituality and our life are not different. Our life is spiritual by its very nature, only we should understand it. Let us not give excuses and run away from reality. Let us have the courage to experiment. Let us not postpone experiencing the Truth. Let us not get caught by the illusion that our ratrace is more real than God. Let us celebrate that we have a living enlightened Master who can actually show us our true nature. Let us allow Him to work on us. Let us be open. Let us all embrace reality and open doors to eternal bliss. Let us have the courage to live the truth.

Enjoy a video below where Swamiji talks about the courage needed to experiment with the clicks and how they are vital for a seeker's growth.